When you purchase a car in foreign overseas country it is quite common that the car you bought needs to be shipped to your home. The purchase of the car is not complete until it has been delivered to your doorstep. Many people choose to ship their cars by themselves but this can be a quite costly and time consuming affair. The good news is that there are many services that offer car shipping to Europe and they can do it quite cheaply and quickly.
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What does the car shipping process look like?
There are a few things that you need to take into consideration when you are shipping a car to Europe.
Method of shipping
There are two main methods of car shipping to Europe. The first is by air and the second is by sea. Where you also have two options. One is by car carriers (so called RoRo Vessels) and the other is by shipping container.
Each method has its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
Air shipping is the fastest way to ship a car to Europe but it is also the most expensive. Sea shipping is much cheaper but it will take longer to get your car to its destination.
You will need to decide which method of shipping is best for you based on your budget and the time frame that you have to get your car shipped. Once you have decided on the method of shipping, you will need to find a reputable company that offers vehicle transportation services to Europe.
At 2hm logistics, we offer both air and sea shipping to Europe at very affordable rates. We have a team of experienced professionals who will take care of all the paperwork and logistics involved in shipping your car to Europe.
Cost of car shipping
There are different ways of shipping vehicles around the world. Cost of shipping varies greatly depending on the origin and destination and the selected type of transport.
Time needed for the shipment
Car shipping to Europe can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the method of shipping that you choose. Car shipped with sea freight usually get to their destination in 4-6 weeks while cars shipped by airfreight will get there in 1-2 weeks couple of days.
Insurance
We strongly suggest to insure your shipment in case some unexpected complications arise during the transport. We call this the cargo insurance. You will need to make sure that you have the proper insurance in place before you ship your car.
How to load a car into a shipping container?
Safety check
Before loading vehicle into container, we make sure that amount of fuel is at minimum, we check the condition of vehicle for any pre-existing damages and make sure that container is in acceptable condition.
Once vehicle is placed in container, we disconnect the battery to avoid any unwanted draining of battery and potential fire hazard.
Secure the position
We must then secure the vehicle in place to avoid moving during the transport and causing any damage to it. Normally we use lashing belts on all 4 wheels to secure the vehicle from moving in diagonal directions. For extra safety, we can also use chalks under the tires and additional belts hooked to towing eyes.
We must always make sure, to prevent vehicle moving not only forwards and backwards, but also side to side and in case of ocean transport also up and down due to vessels’ movements on rough sea.
How do I track my car shipment?
You will be able to track the shipment of your car through our operation managers whom you can get in touch with. They will be able to provide you with updates on the status of your shipment and an estimated time of arrival.
We understand that shipping a car can be a stressful experience. That’s why we offer a team of experienced professionals who will take care of all the paperwork and logistics involved in shipping your car to Europe.
No, your vehicle doesn’t need to be packed when shipping, as we take good care that your vehicle is properly secured during the transport.
No, we would recommend against putting the stuff in your car when shipping. Because any items that are not fitted properly inside the car can move around during the transport and cause different kind of damages. Also for the safety of transport vehicle should have minimum amount of fuel in the tank and we also need to disconnect the battery during the transport.
See also: Warehousing